Rotary magazine.



K. A. BRKUNING.

- ROTARY MAGAZINE.

APPUGATION HLED DEC- 30, ISIS,

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l Ila 677M K. A. BRKUNING.

ROTARY MAGAZINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-30, l9l5.

I'M/260v b Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ROTARY MAGAZINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Application filed December 30, 1915. Serial No. 69,439.

T 0 all who/rt 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, KARL Aocosr BRZQUN-ING, engineer, resident of Herstal, Belgium, 510 Rue Hayenneus, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Magazines; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of referencemarked therein, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to a rotary magazine arranged at the lower partof the breech-frame in automatic or other small arms, and comprising ahorizontal drum rotating under the action of a spring in a cylindricalhousing of the breech-frame, said rotary drum being provided withlongitudinal grooves, the number of which is equal to the number of thecartridges to be contained in the magazine. In the known devices, therotary magazine can only be filled through the opening at the upper partof the "breech-frame, after the breech has been previously opened. Sucha device has inconveniences when it is desired to fill up the magazinewhen all the cartridges it contained have not been fired. In this case,indeed, the opening movement of the movable breech block causes theejection of the cartridge that was in the chamber of the barrel andready for firing; further the opening of the breech diiring the fillingof the magazine has the inconvenience of leaving the shooter completelydisarmed during this operation.

These inconveniences are avoided in the device of my invention becauseit makes use of a rotary magazine which can be filled through the upperopening of the breechframe as in the known devices but which can besidesbe rendered accessible without its being necessary to open the breechblock. To this end, the lower part of the cylindrical housing formingthe wall of the magazine is rendered movable with respect to thebreech-frame and provided with bearings in which the rotary drum ispivotally mounted.

The invention further relates to the use of a spring-catch operated insuch a manner by the device fixing the magazine to the gun, that themazagine spring is prevented from becoming unwound when the magazine isdisplaced during the filling operation.

The lnvention further relates to the use of a ring for securing the drumto the movable magazine and at the same time for keeping the initialtension of the magazine spring.

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention in the case ofa movable magazine for five cartridges pivoted at the front part of thebreech-frame.

Figure *1 is a vertical longitudinal sec tion in the breech-frame andmagazine, the breech being opened and the breech block not shown.

Fig. 2 is a view of the breech-frame and magazine seen front below.

Fig. 3 is a View of the magazine alone, seen from above.

Fig. 4 is a partial side view of the gun during the filling up of themagazine under the breech-frame.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line AB of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the magazine alone seen from behind.

Fig. 7 is an elevation similar to. that shown in Fig. 6, the parts beingin another position.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line C-D of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a front View of the fixing-ring of the drum.

Fig. 10 is a corresponding side view.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line EF of Fig. 9.

The breech-frame 1 comprises a lower movable portion 2, in the shape ofa half cylinder, which constitutes the movable magazine. Its front endis pivotally mounted, by means of a joint-pin 3, on the breechframe 1;its rear end is secured to the breech-frame by means of a rotary lever4L rotating on a pivot 5, the end 6 of which lever enters into a grooveof the wall of the breech-frame.

Within the movable magazine is arranged the rotary drum 7 having theshape of a cylinder provided with five longitudinal grooves separatedfrom each other by longitudinal fins 8' and intended to receive thecartridges. For the purpose of supporting the front end of the drum 7,its axle 9 is arranged in a cylindrical hole or hearing of the frontwall 10 of the magazine; the

cylindrical rear end 11 is supported by means of a ring 12, thesemi-circular leaf 14 of which is held, by means of a device hereafterdescribed, between two annular ribs 13 formed on the internal face ofthe magazine wall.

The drum is also provided with a magazine spiral-spring 15 which isarranged in a of SalCl cylindrical housing 16, one end 7 spring beingsecured in a notch 17 of the axle 9 while the other end :is formed .inthe shape of an eyelet and slipped on a pin 18 secured to the wall 10.

Five teeth 19 are cut in the cylindrical end 11 of the drum to form aratchet-wheel. A spring-catch 20 pivotally mounted at '21 on the rib 13is urged by its spring 22 in such a' manner as to come into contact withthe teeth 19when the end of its arm 28yis allowed to go freely throughthe hole2t of the wall of the rotary magazine.

The magazine is completed by cylindrical walls 25 formed in thebreech-frame.

"When the magazine is shut and the movable breech block opened, it ispossible to put cartridges into the magazine through the breech opening;Fig. 5 shows the first cartridge placed in the'magazine; the action ofthe magazine spring 15 urges said cartridge to slide upward along theinclined plane 26 but it is prevented therefrom by a spring stop-plate27 and held in such a position that it lies on the path of the movablebreech-block. The other cartridges can thereafter be laid successivelyone upon the other and forced downward'into the magazine by the actionof the thumb; theefi'ect of this movement is to cause the drum 7 torotate and the spring 15 to be completely wound.

During these operations, as when the gun is handled for shooting, thetension of spring 15 is always kept by the last cartridge coming intocontact with the stopplate'27.

When it is desired to again fill the magazine before the same has beencompletely emptied'and without opening the movable breech, it is onlynecessary to turn the lever 41 so as to free the end 6 of said lever; itis then possible to cause the movable magazine 2 to turn into theposition shown in Fig. 1. l Vhen turning on its pivot, the lever 4 hasuncovered the passage through thehole 24 so that the end 23 of catch 20passesnow freely through said hole. The catch 20is consequently broughtinto working contact with the teeth 19 and prevents the spring 15 fromcoming unwound; it is then possible to againfill the magazine and towind at the same time the spring 15, while the catch20 holds the drum '7motionless every time when the. latter has performed a rotation of ofone revolution. The fifth longitudinal groove of the drum must be letfree, as in catch 20 so that the spring 15 is allowed to perform'therotation of the drum when the movable breech has caused a cartridge toget out of the magazine.

The device used for securing the drum to the movable magazine comprisesa ring '12 prowided with a semicircular leaf 1 1 formed with anindentation 28 to which corresponds a fixed pin 29 projecting radiallyin the interval'between the two annular ribs 13.

When' the ma azine must be taken to pieces, the catch 20 is firstwithdrawn, its pivot being only slidably'mountediin a suitable hole inthe rib 13.

V7 hen the pieces are in the position shown in Fig. 6, the magazine:being empty, the initial tension of spring 15 urges thedrum 7 torotate-in a clockwise direction; the projecting part .30-of-the endofithedrum pushes again t the projecting part 31 of the ring 12 andtends to cause the ring to rotate in the same direction, but such arotation is rendered impossible by the leaf ll of the ring comingincontact with the fixed pin 29. The contact of those two pieces hasconsequently as result'both tohold the ring in the position required andtockeep the initial-tea sion of spring 15.

For the purpose of dismounting the magazine, the drum is first caused torotate against the action of spring 15 in a counterclockwise directionuntil the projectingpart 30 comes in contact with theiright hand face oftheprojecting part31 (it being assumed that the pieces are see-n frombehind as in Fig. 6); thedrum is then caused to make further half arevolution so that the pieces are brought into the position shown inFig. 7. The drum is then released in such a manner that the spring 15 isallowed to unwind slightly until the projecting part 30 comes before anotch 32 of the ring. It is then possible'to withdrawthe ring by causingit to'slide in a direction parallel to the axis of the drum, andafterward to cause the drunrto slidein the same direction, during whichmovement :the eyelet of spring 15 parts from the pin l8.

' When setting the pieces again in working position, the drumis firstlaid in the magazine with its axle 9 in the bearing of wall 10 andthe-spring 15 secured to the pin 18;

the drum is then caused-to make a littlemore 125' of the spring 15 theyreassume the required position.

For the purpose of showing at any moment the number of cartridgesremaining in the magazine, figures may be engraved on the outer wall ofthe housing 16 of the magazinejspring. These numerals are seen throughanopening 33 in the wall of the movable magazine. a

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a magazine for small arms, the combination with the breech frameof an extension thereof, constituting the stationary upper part of themagazine, a breech block, a lower movable magazine part contiguous tothe upper stationary magazine part, and adapted to receive cartridges,bearings secured to said movable magazine part, a grooved drum havingits axle supported on said bearings, lateral ribs provided on one end ofthe movable magazine part and extending upwardly and terminatingslightly below the axis of rotation of the grooved drum, a spring forrotating said drum, so as to feed the cartridges contained in saidmagazine parts, means for securing the movable magazine part to thebreech-frame, and means for enabling the movable magazine part to beeasily displaced, with respect to the upper stationary magazine part, soas to allow the reloading of the movable magazine part without openingthe movable breechblock.

2. In a magazine for small arms, the combination with a breech-frame ofan extension thereof, constituting the upper stationary part of themagazine, a breech-block, a lower movable magazine part contiguous tothe upper stationary magazine part and adapted to receive cartridges, anopening in the front wall of the movable magazine part, a ring supportedat the rear end of the movable magazine part, a grooved drum having thefront end of its axle resting in said opening, in the front wall of themovable magazine Ipart, the rear end of the axle of said drum eingsupported by said ring, means for supporting said ring at the rear endof the movable magazine part, a spring for rotating the drum, means forpreventing rotation of said ring, means for preventing the spring fromunwinding while the movable magazine part is being loaded, means forsecuring said movable magazine part to the breech frame, and means forenabling the movable magazine part to be easily displaced, with respectto the upper stationary magazine part, so as to allow the reloading ofthe movable ma azine part without opening the movable breech-block.

3. In a magazine for small arms, the combination with the breech-frameof an extension thereof, constituting the upper stationary part of themagazine, a breechblock, a lower movable magazine part, contiguous tothe upper stationary, magazine part, and adapted to receive cartridges,a bearing in the front wall of the movable magazine part, twosemi-circular ribs pro vided at the rear end of the movable magazinepart, a ring resting on said ribs, a semicircular leaf secured to saidring and provided with an indentation, a pin projecting between thesemi-circular ribs and adapted to engage in the indentation of saidsemi-circular leaf, and to thereby prevent the aforesaid ring fromrotating, a grooved drum, a spring for rotating the drum, a pawl forpreventing the spring from un winding, while the movable magazine partis being loaded, means for enabling the movable magazine to be easilydisplaced, with respect to the upper stationary magazine part, so as toallow the reloading of the movable magazine part without opening themovable breech-block, and means for securing the movable magazine partto the breechframe.

4:. In a magazine for small arms the combination, with the breech-frameof an extension thereof, constituting the upper stationary part of themagazine, a breechblock, a lower movable part contiguous to the upperstationary magazine part and adapted to receive cartridges, an openingor bearingon the front wall of the movable magazine part, twosemi-circular ribs pro-. vided at the rear end of the movable magazinepart, a ring resting on said ribs, a semicircular leaf secured to saidring and provided with an indentation, a pin projecting between thesemi-circular ribs and adapted to engage in the indentation of saidsemicircular leaf, and thereby prevent the aforesaid ring from rotating,a grooved drum, a spring for rotating the drum, a ratchet wheel formedat the rear end of the axle of said drum, a spring catch pivotallymounted in the movable magazine part, and adapted to engage with saidratchet wheel, so as to prevent the aforesaid spring from unwindingwhile the movable magazine part is being loaded, means for enabling themovable magazine part, to be easily displaced with respect to the upperstationary magazine part, so as to allow the reloading of the movablemagazine part without opening the movable breech-block, and a lever forsecuring the lower movable magazine part to the upper stationarymagazine part.

5. In a magazine for small arms, the combination with the breech-frameof an extension thereof, constituting the upper stationary part of themagazine, a breech-block, a lower movable magazine part adapted toreceive cartridges, a bearing in the front wall of the movable magazinepart, two semicircular ribs provided at the rear end of the movablemagazine part, a ring resting on said ribs, a semi-circular leaf securedto said rlng and provlded with an ndentation, a pm pro ectingbetween thetwo semi-01rcnlar ribs, and adapted to engage in the in-' dentation ofSaid semi-circular leaf, and thereby, prevent the aforesaid ring from,i'otating, a grooved drum having one end of its axle resting on theibearingin the front Wall of the movable magazine part, the other end ofits axle being supported by the aforesaid ring, a spring for rotatingSaid drum, a ratchet wheel formed at the rear end of the axle of saiddr-um, a spring catch pivotally mounted on the movable magazine part,and adapted to come in contact with said ratchet Wheel, so as to preventthe aforesaid spring from unwinding whilethe movable magazine part isbeing loaded, a rotary lever pivotally mounted on the movable magazinepart, a recess in the-near Wall of the breech-frame for receiving saidnotary lever thereby securing the movable magazine part i tothebreeeh-frame, .a joint-pin in the front Wall of the breech-frame,said 'pin sei ving as a pivot for the lower movable magazine art. p Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two itnesses. r

KARL AUGUST BRAUNING. Witnesses: v

' GEORGES VANDER HAEGLE'N,

HENRI JOYEUX;

Copies of this patent may be obtained .for five cents each, byaddressing the vcommissionei .of Patents. Washington, no.

